Monthly Archives: April, 2012

A few quick items before the interviews: • Daniel Alfredsson skated for over an hour at the Senators’ optional practice in Ottawa today. It was the second straight day he skated, although this time someone was there to see it. “We’re encouraged and optimistic about Alfie,” Paul MacLean told NHL.com.…

Ottawa’s Chris Neil is not expected to face discipline for Saturday night’s open-ice hit on Brian Boyle. The NHL has not scheduled a hearing for Neil by this afternoon. Although the league has not released a decision, a hearing would likely have been scheduled by now if Neil were to…

Thoughts: 1) On the Chris Neil assault on Brian Boyle … not only did he drive-by, blind-side, head-target him, but after Boyle went down, Neil gave him another shot in the back of the head. I don’t think John Tortorella was correct in saying it’s the same as Raffi Torres…

By now you’ve heard that Brian Boyle has a concussion and is out, presumably for the series, or at least Game 6. John Tortorella compared it to the Raffi Torres hit that drew a 25-game suspension earlier today. Not sure if it was that bad, but there’s also no doubt…

Rangers-Senators Game 5. Expecting the same lineup for the Rangers, which means Henrik Lundqvist in goal (duh!). Carl Hagelin sits out the final game of his three-game suspension, so Chris Kreider plays in his place. Ottawa is expected to insert rookie Mark Stone, fresh out of juniors, into the lineup…

Been meaning to write about this all week but haven’t had time. There’s a new DVD out about the 1994 Rangers Cup, called “Road to Victory, the New York Rangers Story.” Here’s the info the promotional people sent me: Where were you on June 14th, 1994 when the New York…

As Carp said earlier today, I was at the Garden for today’s practice. Much of the talk focused on the Rangers’ struggles in overtime. They are 0-7 in their last seven playoff forays into OT, including 0-2 this series. Somehow, someway, they have managed to not trail for a single…

Josh Thomson is filling in at practice at MSG today and will have some info and reaction for us later from the Garden. In the meantime we’re going to do another Playoff Live Chat right here at noon. So bring your questions and comments, and if you need a little…

In the wake of Game 4, the Rangers held a conference call with John Tortorella and reporters a little while ago. Our friend Carp was a healthy scratch. He’s in the air returning from Ottawa, so I handled the call in his absence. Tortorella’s club lost 3-2 on Wednesday night…

Thoughts: 1) Well, there goes my Rangers in 5 prediction. Back to Kanata Monday. Yee-freakin-hah! 2) This has been an odd series, IMO, in that I thought Ottawa’s best game start to finish was Game 3, a game the Senators lost, and one of those many, many games this season…

Rangers-Senators Game 4. We expect the Rangers will use the same lineup, meaning Chris Kreider plays in Carl Hagelin’s spot. Daniel Alfredsson is very doubtful after a setback with his concussion issues. Matt Carkner expects to play after serving his one-game suspension for jumping Brian Boyle in Game 2. I…

Courtesy of me: * Through three games, the Rangers have not trailed at any point except at the end of the overtime in Game 2. They had scored first, obviously, in all three games, led for 96:45 and been tied for 84:32 in the series. * Henrik Lundqvist’s 39-save shutout…

The news: Daniel Alfredsson did not skate, and Paul MacLean said there was no change in his condition, so you’d assume he will not play in Game 4 tonight. Again, it’s playoffs, so never say never. MacLean would not divulge his lineup, but Matt Carkner, back from his one-game suspension…